Modern mobile phones are often provided with various enhanced data applications that rely on enhanced data sensors within the mobile phone. Such enhanced data may include location information (e.g., from a Global Positioning System (GPS)), accelerometer data, and other types of data that allow the mobile phone, often termed a smart phone, to execute various smart applications, such as a mapping application. Smartphones are becoming increasingly popular. By contrast, basic phones and feature phones lack many smartphone capabilities and cannot participate in, nor can their users benefit from, many advanced applications.
A typical industry solution to this problem is to wait for device replacement, with current turnover rates being approximately 18 months, and hope for increased adoption of smartphones with needed capabilities. An alternative solution is to add external hardware for the sensor/capability, such as a Bluetooth GPS device, an external accelerometer, etc.
What is required is improved applications, devices and methods for providing enhanced applications to a greater number of mobile communications devices.